Dimensions of Literacy: A Conceptual Base for Teaching Reading and Writing in School Settings, Third Edition
By Steven B. Kucer
* Publisher:Routledge
* Number Of Pages:372
* Publication Date:2009-03-23
* ISBN-10 / ASIN:0415997879
* ISBN-13 / EAN:9780415997874
Product Description:
This popular text, now in its third edition, unpackages the various dimensions of literacy – linguistic (the nature of language, oral-written language relationships, language variation); cognitive (constructive nature of perception, the reading process, understanding written discourse, the writing process); sociocultural (literacy as social practices, authority of written discourse); and developmental (constructing the written language system) – and at the same time accounts for the interrelationships among them. Distinguished by its examination of literacy from a multidimensional and interdisciplinary perspective, it provides a strong conceptual foundation upon which literacy curriculum and instruction in school settings can be grounded.
Linguistic and Cultural Online Communication Issues in the Global Age
By Kirk St. Amant
* Publisher:IGI Global
* Number Of Pages:362
* Publication Date:2007-04-02
* ISBN-10 / ASIN:1599042134
* ISBN-13 / EAN:9781599042138
Product Description:
International online access has grown rapidly in recent years with the number of global Internet users skyrocketing. The most astounding growth, however, is taking place in developing nations. Linguistic and Cultural Online Communication Issues in the Global Age provides readers with in-depth information on the various linguistic, cultural, technological, legal, and other factors that affect interactions in online exchanges within the global age. Linguistic and Cultural Online Communication Issues in the Global Age proposes information that implements effective decisions related to the uses and designs of online media when interacting with individuals from other cultures. This comprehensive and informative title is completed by foundational knowledge needed to communicate effectively with individuals from other countries and cultures via online media.
A History of Language Philosophies (Studies in the History of the Language Sciences)
By Lia Formigari
* Publisher:John Benjamins Publishing Co
* Number Of Pages:256
* Publication Date:2004-09
* ISBN-10 / ASIN:9027245959
* ISBN-13 / EAN:9789027245953
Summary: Concise and Informative
Rating: 5
A History Of Language Philosophies by Lia Formigari (Studies in the History of the Language Sciences: John Benjamins Publishing) (Hardcover) Formigari is clear from the start that there can be no single perspective in the philosophical study of language. He focuses mainly on two approaches: the study of language as a cognitive tool and the study of its essential phylogenetic components. Language is always reluctant to be trapped exclusively in one domain or the other - the domain of liberty, the domain of necessity; the domain of the historical sciences, the domain of the natural sciences. Every time we isolate one of these domains, we realize we have answered only half the questions posed by theories. This happens if the notion of arbitrariness of signs is privileged at the expense of material, vocal, psychomotor language components, or vice versa; if language is considered exclusively as a product of nature or, on the contrary, of culture; if the role of innate mechanisms is stressed exclusively as opposed to learning, or vice versa.
As a result, Formigari tried to divorce linguistic-cognitive theories as little as possible from discussions on language as a specific instinct of humans as members of the animal world. The subdivision into cognitively-oriented chapters and anthropologically-oriented ones serves a practical purpose only. It helps distin琯uish different itineraries on the same map, avoiding the risk of getting sidetracked into roundabout routes, crooked alleys, or dead-ends. Cross-references among chapters should be taken as street signs suggesting other possibilities to those interested in following alternative routes or carving their own path.
The approach of a study is determined not solely by theoretical motives, but also, inevitably, by practical constraints. What is not to be found in this book, due to space limitations, is any history of individual language sciences (grammar, for example, or rhetoric). However, Formigari provided information on the great partitions of linguistic knowledge, and references that should help readers to orient themselves, highlighting the intersections of the philosophical study of language with the theory and practice of the language sciences. For reasons of space and competence, this book deals with only one intellectual tradition, the Western one; also, for the Middle Ages, the focus is exclusively on the Latin world...
Semantics (the study of the relation between linguistic and real entities), pragmatics (the study of the purpose and conditions of sentences), and syntax (the study of the properties of verbal signs and their relations) have been a dominant triad in language studies since 1938 when the American philosopher Charles Morris introduced this division, derived from Peirce. It has recently been challenged by Chomsky, who subsumes into syntax the core of his cognitive approach, i.e. the analytical aspects of meaning, leaving all other aspects to pragmatics, dismissed as an irredeemably non-scientific practice. Cognitive semantics has recently brought out the semantic import of grammatical categories and claimed scientific respectability for the study of semantic functions involved in conceptualization. This has made the boundaries between these three traditional areas even more permeable. Finally, the encounter with cognitive science has tempered the anti-psychologist tendency that had long been a distinctive trait of analytic philoso琾hy. It would seem that language needs to be explained more and more in the context of a general theory of the mind, and is less and less a universal pass-partout that will open the doors of every philosophical closet. This change has expanded the epistemic potential of philosophy to an extent it is still difficult to assess. For language theories, too, the `rediscovery of the mind' seems destined to become a new frontier.
Language Acquisition and Language Socialization: Ecological Perspectives (Advances in Applied Linguistics Series)
By Claire Kramsch
* Publisher:Continuum International Publishing
* Number Of Pages:324
* Publication Date:2003-02-01
* ISBN-10 / ASIN:0826453724
* ISBN-13 / EAN:9780826453723
Product Description:
This is an outstanding collection of papers by top scholars in a range of disciplines who shed stimulating, complementary insights into the social, cognitive and semiotic frameworks that shape both the acquisition of language, and the constitution of soc
Studies on Agreement (Linguistik Aktuell / Linguistics Today)
By Maria Christina
* Publisher:John Benjamins Publishing Co
* Number Of Pages:285
* Publication Date:2006-02-28
* ISBN-10 / ASIN:9027228108
* ISBN-13 / EAN:9789027228109
The status of agreement is a core issue in current morphological and syntactic theory. The collection of papers in this volume focuses on important issues, such as the nature of the relation between syntax and morphology in determining agreement relations; whether and which syntactic configurations are relevant for determining agreement; the relevance of verbal agreement for the purposes of EPP; the inquiry into the existence of connections between verbal and DP-internal agreement; on the morphological and syntactic distinction of person, number and gender agreement; how and why AGREE and Spec,head relations trigger different agreement effects; and the type of relation that exists between head-movement and morphological agreement. The data collected come from a wide variety of languages and the studies presented discuss innovative and thought-provoking ideas for dealing with agreement phenomena.
Table of contents
Introduction
Jo鉶 Costa and Maria Cristina Figueiredo Silva
Capeverdean DP-internal number agreement: Additional arguments for a distributed morphology approach
Ana Castro and Fernanda Pratas
Nominal and verbal agreement in Portuguese: An argument for Distributed Morphology
Jo鉶 Costa and Maria Cristina Figueiredo Silva
Proleptic agreement as a good design property
Norbert Corver
Anti-agreement: Features and locality
Anikó Csirmaz
The acquisition of the standard EPP in Dutch and French
Jacqueline van Kampen
A new view on first conjunct agreement: Evidence from Dutch dialects
Marjo van Koppen
Agreement: The (unique and local) syntactic and morphological licenser of subject Case
Jaklin Kornfilt
Probes: Lack of agreement in Romance
Guido Mensching and Eva-Maria Remberger
Syntactic agreement across language modalities: American Sign Language
Carol Neidle and Robert G. Lee
On the relation of Agreement: Evidence from Friulian
Sandra Paoli
The (dis)association of Tense, phi-features EPP and nominative Case: Case studies from Romance and Greek
Ioanna Sitaridou
Head-Level and Chain-Level constraints on spellout
Jochen Trommer
Index
The Ascent of Babel: An Exploration of Language, Mind, and Understanding
By Gerry T. M. Altmann
* Publisher:Oxford University Press, USA
* Number Of Pages:272
* Publication Date:1999-05-06
* ISBN-10 / ASIN:0198523777
* ISBN-13 / EAN:9780198523772
Product Description:
With The Ascent of Babel, psycholinguist Gerry Altmann takes us on a journey of discovery, illuminating how, through the workings of the brain, we use language to reach out and touch each other's minds. Here, he explores the ways in which the mind produces and understands language: the ways in which the sounds of language evoke meaning, and the ways in which the desire to communicate causes us to produce those sounds to begin with.
Altmann begins even before we are born, revealing that the fetus in the last trimester is already listening to the language of its parents and that, within days of birth, it can distinguish its parents' language from other languages. From how babies learn language and how we discriminate between different sounds, through comprehension of the sounds and structures of language (and the pitfalls along the way), to the production of spoken and written language, the effects of brain damage on language, and finally the ways in which computer simulations of interconnecting nerve cells can learn language, Altmann offers a wide-ranging, engaging tour. Up to date, authoritative, and engagingly written, The Ascent of Babel is must reading for everyone curious about the mysteries of language or of the mind.
Summary: Very good, but might be a little dated.
Rating: 4
Linguistics is the science of language, and psycho-linguistics is a branch of psychology attempting to understand how we acquire and process language, both oral and written. While this is a book about psycho-linguistics, it provides the reader with the necessary background in the relevant areas of linguistics. Psycholinguistics utilizes a variety of inputs: some very clever experimental tools, both high tech and low tech; studies of individuals with brain damage of some kind; computer investigations of artificial intelligence. Most amazing are the experiments with infants only a few days old. Gerry writes very clearly, and employs just enough repetition to reinforce ideas without being boring. Notwithstanding his efforts, and the significant progress that has been made, psycholinguistics at this point still seems to be more a collection of intriguing conclusions and experiments than a coherent whole. A previous reviewer mentioned that his Tower of Babel analogy adds nothing, and I quickly learned to skip his references to the Tower, but this is a very minor point. I found some of the sentences Gerry used for illustrating points more convoluted than I would have liked, but perhaps that was necessary. I had always thought I would be interested in linguistics, but while the book's discussions of linguistics were interesting, especially on the differences between languages, Gerry left me with no great desire to read another book on the subject, which was a disappointment. In summary, a very good book, but written in 1997, so perhaps a more recent book would be better.
Summary: A good book, but could use some tweaking.
Rating: 3
This book covers many topics of psycholinguistics in a way that someone with no background (except personal experience) can understand. Ch. 10 ("Exercising the vocal organs") is especially good in this respect because it covers the kinds of slips-of-the-tongue all of us can relate to, and then discusses the theoretical implications of the kinds of slips that are made. So this book will do fine if you want to learn a little bit about learning different sounds, finding meanings for words, and guessing meanings from grammar. Also, there is a chapter that quickly overviews different kinds of aphasias, dyslexias, and dysgraphias (problems with spoken language, problems with understanding written language, and problems with writing) as well as a nice not-over-technical chapter on computer modeling of how the brain might learn grammar. I feel so enriched! (8
The flow of the text is awkward: the transitions between chapters were okay, but within some chapters Altmann seems to ramble on somewhat. The book is quite readable if you don't do it all at one sitting, in which case this sort of thing might get annoying, but rather a chapter or two at a time, which fits well with the author's page vi suggestion that "the reader of this book should also skip as necessary." This is not any less so for the fact that Altmann includes a preface, a pre-chapter called "In the beginning," and a chapter-one introduction to psycholinguistics. Altmann is also plagued the unfortunate "ascent of Babel" metaphor and feels obliged to waxing poetic on it between chapters.
It seems to me that Altmann glosses over controversy, for example as to the origins of the human race and human languages. I was a little surprised that there was no elaboration on what others tell me is not an open-shut case. I get the feeling that Altmann has a limited background on the topic, giving only 7 references in the bibliography for this chapter. Other chapters with sparse bibliography showings note that Altmann couldn't find further general reading, etc., and on average chapters 2 through 13 still have twice that many references, even though they cover much less academic terrain.
Reading-to-Write: Exploring a Cognitive and Social Process (Social and Cognitive Studies in Writing and Literacy)
By Linda Flower, Victoria Stein, John Ackerman, Margaret J. Kantz, Kathleen McCormick, Wayne C. Peck
* Publisher:Oxford University Press, USA
* Number Of Pages:280
* Publication Date:1990-09-20
* ISBN-10 / ASIN:019506190X
* ISBN-13 / EAN:9780195061901
* Binding:Hardcover
Product Description:
The Social and Cognitive Studies in Writing and Literacy Series, is devoted to books that bridge research, theory, and practice, exploring social and cognitive processes in writing and expanding our knowledge of literacy as an active constructive process--as students move from high school to college.
This descriptive study of reading-to-write examines a critical point in every college student's academic performance: when he or she is faced with the task of reading a source, integrating personal ideas, and creating an individual text with a self-defined purpose. Offering an unusually comprehensive view of this process, the authors chart a group of freshmen as they study and write in their dormitories, recording their "think-aloud" strategies for reading, writing, and revising, their interpretation of the task, and their broader social, cultural, and contextual understanding of college writing. Flower, Stein, and colleagues convincingly conclude that the legacy of schooling in general makes the transition to college difficult and, more important, that the assumptions students hold and the strategies they use in undertaking this task play a significant role in their academic performance. Embracing a broad range of perspectives from rhetoric, composition, literacy research, literary and cultural theory, and cognitive psychology, this rigorous analysis treats reading-to-write as both a cognitive and social process. It will interest researchers and theoreticians in rhetoric and writing, teachers working with students in transition from high school to college, and educators involved in the links between cognition and the social process.
Communication, Language and Literacy from Birth to Five
By Mrs Avril Brock, Mrs Carolynn Rankin
* Publisher:Sage Publications Ltd
* Number Of Pages:144
* Publication Date:2008-04-28
* ISBN-10 / ASIN:1412945895
* ISBN-13 / EAN:9781412945899
Product Description:
With the introduction of the new Early Years Foundation Stage in 2008, practitioners need to be able to meet the needs of all young children in the six areas of learning - one of which is communication, language and literacy.
This book helps the reader develop their knowledge, skills and practice in encouraging and promoting communication, language and literacy for babies and young children.
It includes:
- activities, examples, case studies and ideas from actual practice
- guidance on how to meet children's diverse needs in an inclusive environment
- advice on involving parents in their children's learning
- resources, useful websites and suggestions for further reading
This book is a must-read for anyone working with children from birth to five.
Assessing Languages for Specific Purposes (Cambridge Language Assessment)
By Dan Douglas
* Publisher:Cambridge University Press
* Number Of Pages:325
* Publication Date:2000-02-28
* ISBN-10 / ASIN:0521584957
* ISBN-13 / EAN:9780521584951
Product Description:
Testing language for specific purposes (LSP) refers to that branch of language testing in which the test content and test methods are derived from an analysis of a specific language use situation, such as Spanish for business, Japanese for tour guides, Italian for language teachers, or English for air traffic control. LSP tests are usually contrasted with general purpose language tests, in which purpose is more broadly defined, as in the Test of English as a Foreign Language. This book is the first to examine the issues surrounding the implementation of tests for specific purposes. It includes an in-depth discussion of the issues, an examination of the current exams, and a comprehensive overview of the literature. It will be a welcome addition to any language teaching professionals library.
Improving Learning in Secondary English
By Geoff Dean
* Publisher: David Fulton Publish
* Number Of Pages: 144
* Publication Date: 2004-09-25
* ISBN-10 / ASIN: 1843121468
* ISBN-13 / EAN: 9781843121466
* Binding: Paperback
Psycholinguistics (Oxford Introductions to Language Study)
By Thomas Scovel
* Publisher:Oxford University Press, USA
* Number Of Pages:148
* Publication Date:1998-04-02
* ISBN-10 / ASIN:0194372138
* ISBN-13 / EAN:9780194372138
Product Description:
Psycholinguists have shown that the comprehension and production of even the simplest language is a highly complex, almost miraculous, process. This brief introduction shows how psycholinguistic research can act as a window to the workings of the human mind.
Summary: Be careful and note for whom this book is intended
Rating: 2
Be careful and note for whom this book is intended.
It is supposed to be a concise introduction to psycho-linguistics for people training to be ESL and EFL teachers.
I found it way too concise--that is, lacking too much.
It is also out of date on some key issues, such as categorical perception and the existence (or non-existence) of the phoneme.
This book could have been developed in two different directions, either of which might have benefited the intended readership. (1) It could have included about 50 more pages of the history of related fields and their development and then explained psycho-linguistics in terms of the issues that concern ELT/TESL/TEFL/TESOL the most: second language acquisition, listening perception, articulation, and reading processes, etc. Or, (2) it could have given a somewhat more complete and technical explanation of psycho-linguistics.
Overall, it was a disappointing book to read. There are far better introductions to psycho-linguistics (such as Garman, CUP). Meanwhile, academics in ELT ought to stop playing around with superficial approaches to 'cross-disciplinary studies'. Instead, they ought to face up to the bleak reality: theirs is a field run by a big business mentality. Intellectually speaking, ELT has never really got past a superficial understanding of structuralism and behaviourism, which might explain the amateurish efforts at producing 'research' that now pollute most journals that language teachers are supposed to take an interest in.
Finally, the lack of an index is inexcusable.
Summary: As expected
Rating: 5
Since it is not available in my country, in termz of price, quality, and delivery it is just excellent
Summary: Nearly philosophical
Rating: 5
The Oxford Introductions to Language Study are known to be very dense, giving birth to many ideas on each turn of a page. "Psycholinguistics" is not an exception to this rule.
The book's structure is very well organized, allowing the reader to focus on his own interests. There are four sections as usual (Survey, Readings, References and Glossary). The Survey is the core of the text. In the Readings section, the reader is asked some interesting questions that may be the subject of hours of discussion -- this is one of the book's qualities. The References, however are usually to quite expensive technical books (with a few exceptions), so that the reader is disencouraged to go further on his studies. The Glossary is quite clear, but you keep going back and forward through it as the entries interlink.
This is a book for you to think about language. I do highly reccommend it if you are into linguistics and you want to experience a flavor of psychology and even philosophy.
Second Language Learning: Theoretical Foundations (Applied Linguistics and Language Study)
By Michael S. Smith
* Publisher:Addison Wesley Publishing Company
* Number Of Pages:264
* Publication Date:1994-12
* ISBN-10 / ASIN:0582218861
* ISBN-13 / EAN:9780582218864
Product Description:
A survey and analysis of second language theory discusses the development of ideas in this expanding area of language studies. It looks at the implications of these ideas and directions for future research. Contains study questions and activities as well as practical guidelines on the use of available research resources.
Language, Saussure and Wittgenstein: How to Play Games with Words (Routledge History of Linguistic Thought)
By Roy Harris
* Publisher:Routledge
* Number Of Pages:152
* Publication Date:1990-12-21
* ISBN-10 / ASIN:0415052254
* ISBN-13 / EAN:9780415052252
Product Description:
Saussure and Wittgenstein are arguably the two most important figures in the development of twentieth-century linguistic thought. By pointing out what their ideas have in common, in spite of intellectual sources, this study breaks new ground.
Reviews:
"A welcome bridge between philosophy and linguistics . . . careful exploration of this important influential theory." -- The Guardian
"Harris's hand in writing this book is firm, vigorous, maybe even driven. His style is wonderfully lucid, his critique is patiently expatiated, and his conclusions are cogent. The result is a powerful effort about the relationship of language to the shape of the modern world." -- Multilingua - 1994
"It is beautifully written, full of apt and witty illustrations and thorough in its scholarship." -- International Studies in Philosophy - 1991
Course in General Linguistics edited by Charles Bally and Albert Sechehaye translated from the French by Wade Baskin
By
Publisher:McGraw-Hill
Number Of Pages:240
Publication Date:1966-01-01
ISBN-10 / ASIN:B002BUPRDM
ISBN-13 / EAN:
This volume was put together by the editors
mainly from notes which Ferdinand de Saussure's
students took of his three courses in general
linguistics at the University of Geneva between
1906 and 1911, and the few personal notes of
de Saussure himself which were found after his
untimely death.
The ideas recorded here comprise a wide range
of topics: phonemics, the linguistic sign, opposi-
tion, value, synchronics, diachronics, etc. They
should amply justify the assertions of scholars
on both sides of the Atlantic who credit him with
laying the foundation for modern studies in
historical and descriptive linguistics.
From the Translator's Introduction:
Few other figures in the history of the science of language have
commanded such lasting respect and inspired such varied accom-
plishments as Ferdinand de Saussure. Leonard Bloomfield justly
credited the eminent Swiss professor with providing "a theoretic
foundation to the newer trend in linguistics study," and European
scholars have seldom failed to consider his views when dealing
with any theoretical problem. But the full implications of his
teachings, for both static and evolutionary studies, have still to
be elaborated.
The Cambridge Companion to Saussure
By Carol Sanders
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Number Of Pages: 316
Publication Date: 2005-01-10
ISBN-10 / ASIN: 052180051X
ISBN-13 / EAN: 9780521800518
Binding: Hardcover
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Book Description:
This Companion offers an original new account of Ferdinand de Saussure, widely considered to be the founder of modern Linguistics as well as Structuralism. In addition to looking at his pioneering Course in General Linguistics, contributors consider his lesser-known early work, more recently-discovered manuscripts, and influence on other disciplines such as cultural studies, philosophy, literature and semiotics. With contributions by specialists in each field, this comprehensive guide creates a unique picture of the lasting importance of Saussure's thought.
Landmarks In Linguistic Thought: The Western Tradition from Socrates to Saussure (Routledge History of Linguistic Thought Series)
By Professo Harris
* Publisher:Routledge
* Number Of Pages:260
* Publication Date:1997-04-17
* ISBN-10 / ASIN:0415153611
* ISBN-13 / EAN:9780415153614
* Binding:Hardcover
Product Description:
By introducing the reader to the major issues and themes that have determined the development of the Western linguistic tradition, an evolution of linguistic thought quickly becomes apparent. Each chapter in this accessible book contains a short extract from a "landmark" text followed by a commentary which places the text in its social and intellectual context.
The authors, who consider writers from Aristotle to Caxton to Saussure, have fully revised the original edition of this text. Complete with two new chapters on Bishop John Wilkins and Frege, a revised preface and updated bibliography, this book will be invaluable to anyone with an interest in the history of linguistics or the history of Western thought.
Summary: A great companion to the study of the history of linguistics
Rating: 4
It was a required reading in my Hist. of Ling. course, but I would've read it on my own a couple times over anyway. Landmarks I&II are great additions to my linguistics library. Easy to follow commentary and summaries ~ not too much, not too little!
Tense, Mood and Aspect: Theoretical and Descriptive Issues. (Cahiers Chronos)
By Louis de Saussure, Jacques Moeschler, Genoveva Puskas
* Publisher:Rodopi
* Number Of Pages:248
* Publication Date:2007-07-16
* ISBN-10 / ASIN:9042022086
* ISBN-13 / EAN:9789042022089
Product Description:
This book is a collection of articles dealing with theoretical issues in the study of tense, mood and aspect, as well as with specific semantic and syntactic problems raised by linguistic expressions dedicated to these domains across a variety of languages. Through these papers, strong variations are explored, but also crosslinguistic convergences are investigated. Numerous phenomena so far often left aside in linguistics are described and enlightened by different scientific standpoints, which they serve to illustrate. The languages investigated in this volume include Germanic languages (Dutch, English, German), Romance (French, Catalan, Italian), Slavic (Serbo-Croatian, Czech, Russian), Greek, and non-indoeuropean languages such as Thai, Digo and Kikuyu. Related topics such as grammaticalization, presuppositions, questions in dialogue, illocutionary acts and acquisition are incidentally called upon in order to shed light from the outside onto tense, mood (and modality) and aspect. This volume is of great interest for all scholars engaged in contemporary research on the linguistic expression of tense, mood and aspect. The papers gathered in this volume are a tight selection of the ones that were presented at the 6th Chronos colloquium.
Speech and Phenomena : and Other Essays on Husserl's Theory of Signs
By Jacques Derrida
* Publisher:Northwestern University Press
* Number Of Pages:166
* Publication Date:1979-01-01
* ISBN-10 / ASIN:0810103974
* ISBN-13 / EAN:9780810103979
Summary: Inside and Outside
Rating: 5
Derrida, for all the supposed density of his writing, is a simplifier. Deconstruction owes much of its popularity (in America) to the fact that it says: philosophy is not all that complicated, just see how the inside and outside collapse into one another and you can tear any text at its seams. Derrida follows the same procedure with poor old Edmund: the entirety of the LU shamble if Husserl is unable to maintain the integrity of silent thought, in which no Anzeichen point toward anything. Unlike the canals on Mars, which may point to intelligent life, silent thought is unmediated and not supplemented (to use a Deriddaism) by a sign. The collapse (or rending) of inside and outside by the supplement mark the presence of absence: the word, a mere supplement to the presence of silent thought, separates and joins the "life" and "presence" of consciousness with absence, repetition, and death.
Summary: An introduction to Derrida and his related "différance"
Rating: 4
Arguably one of the most convtroversial philosophers within the Continental tradigion, Derrida's work either heralds a revolution in philosophy or its utter destruction.
Derrida cites two important pedigrees (as the title suggests): Husserl and (tacitly) de Saussure.
Using the "course in general linguistics" of de Saussure, Derrida notes a certain degree of freedom, a "jeu," between the words-as-symbols and the thought contents they produce. Exploiting de Saussure's note that the relation between the sign and the mental content is arbitrary, Derrida questions the validity of any text (where the notion of text includes, but is not limited to, books, magazines, commercials, art, sex).
Derrida sees behind any "text" its entire recursive history, the weight of all the words, the mental experience of the reader.
At the point he considers the reader's experience he starts to deal with phenomenology - the study proposed and defined by Husserl himself in his Vienna and Paris lectures. A short definition might be that Phenomenology is the study of how man mentally relates to the objects of his experience(I admit, debatably so).
This book proposes Derrida's famous example of "différance" and its effect upon the Gallically trained ear and mind. So if you want to seem witty and "with-it" this introductory tome shall suffice.
As far as my own deconstruction / critique of the work. As an introductory work it is dense. Derrida is often criticized for losing himself in intellectual crevices, being prolix, and employing poor stylistics. These are not unmerited. Yet for the reader who wishes to move beyond the fashionability of tossing "deconstructionist" out at cocktail parties, this is a must read. It is certainly part of the 20th century canon.
My own conclusions are mixed. In his later works Derrida becomes truly absurd, laughable, silly, and occasionally brilliant. Yet his work never fails to move its readers either to agree that he is either an idiot, a bad writer, or that philosophy as we know it has long been dead. Perhaps like a Socratic gadfly, Derrida is moving us to an entire gestalt shift vis-à-vis our relationship with philosophy and social institutions.
A solid background of Kant/Hegel, as well as a familiarity with lingustics (the aforementioned course in general lingustics of de Saussure) greatly ease the difficulty in penetrating his work.
Philosophy for Linguists: An Introduction
By Siobhan Chapman
* Publisher:Routledge
* Number Of Pages:256
* Publication Date:2000-07-27
* ISBN-10 / ASIN:0415206588
* ISBN-13 / EAN:9780415206587
* Binding:Library Binding
* Publisher:Routledge
* Number Of Pages:256
* Publication Date:2000-08-31
* ISBN-10 / ASIN:0415206596
* ISBN-13 / EAN:9780415206594
* Binding:Paperback
Summary: From Plato to Chomsky.....the easy way
Rating: 5
'Philosophy for Linguists: An Introduction' is an informative, easy-to-read introduction to linguistics within the sphere of philosophy. From Plato, through Frege and Russell, past Tarski and Davidson, addressing Austin, Ryle and Grice as well as taking time out to consider Whorf, Sapir, Saussure and Chomsky (amongst many others), Siobhan Chapman's book is a deceptive gem for the philosophy of language student or "interested reader" in the subject. It's deceptive because it's a sweet, modest but, above all, informative book (not quite what one would expect from a "philosophy of language" book) and manages to condense potentially hundreds of pages into a short, persuasive read. Unlike other publications, the information provided seeks not to elevate itself above its reader (thus confusing and confounding him or her with multi-syllable words only a lexicographer would be familiar with) but instead revels in being the reader's companion, explaining numerous concepts and ideas within five clearly-defined chapters (Words and things, Propositions and logic, Truth and reality, Speakers and hearers, Language and mind). The style and presentation of each of the chapters is non-threatening and easily accessible and even the involvement of arguably irrelevant and unrelated data, in the form of biographical information (for example did you know that Wittgenstein spent part of his time as a teacher and gardener?) is a welcome addition.
For the student of philosophy/philosophy of language/linguistics, it is, simply, an essential read. For the casual reader, it is well worth reading if only to confuse fellow non-philosophers with talk of artificial languages, t-sentences, possible world semantics, definite descriptions, conversational implicature, the Innateness Hypothesis and any other of the numerous concepts contained within this deceptively vast book.
'Philosophy for Linguists: An Introduction' requires no knowledge on the part of the reader other than a willingness to sit back and be guided by a friendly narrator whose sole intention is to, simply, inform.
And where's the harm in that?
Highly, highly recommended.
Language, Society and Power: An Introduction
By Jason Jones
* Publisher:Routledge
* Number Of Pages:272
* Publication Date:2003-12-16
* ISBN-10 / ASIN:0415303931
* ISBN-13 / EAN:9780415303934
* Binding:Hardcover
Product Description:
This is a completely updated and expanded second edition of Language, Society and Power. Lively and accessible, it looks at the ways in which language functions, how it influences thought and how it varies according to age, ethnicity, class and gender. How can a language reflect the status of children and older people? Do men and women talk differently? How can our use of language mark our ethnic identity? The book also looks at language use in politics and the media and examines how language affects and constructs our identities, exploring notions of correctness and attitudes towards language use.
This second edition has been fully updated to include recent developments in theory and research and offers the following features: *new, relevant and engaging examples drawn from everyday life: conversation transcripts, novels including Ian McEwan's Atonement, television and the internet
*new activities designed to give students a real understanding of the area
*an international perspective with examples from the world's press, including The Washington Post, the Daily Mail and the New Zealand Listener
*updated and expanded further reading sections and glossary.
Language Society and Power remains an essential introductory text for students of English language and linguistics, and will also be of use to students of media, communication, cultural studies, sociology and psychology.
Summary: Great Explanation; a bit polluted by modern society
Rating: 4
Clarity and logical explanation of the modern theories of language and linguistics is this book's strength. I exhaustively covered this book because of a college class that it was required for. Much about language that is basic for moving on from elementary linguistics is covered in this book.
Contemporary classic theories of language are included (ie Saussure's theories, Sapir-Whorf, etc) which sets the reader off into a fascinating discovery of how language promotes or inhibits one's power in modern society.
In such contemporary issues as political correctness and the Standard American English debate, a slightly more leftist view is employed in the writing of the book than I would've preferred, but nonetheless, there is a suffice and clear explanation of the information throughout.
A quality book. Check it out!